Here are highlighted 6 unique but key reasons why diets don’t work. They are largely ignored and even if you have done dozens of diets to date, shockingly some of this information will be new to you.
All of the factors I am bringing to your attention here can be overcome but, it is far easier to just sell you a dream than to actually invest in giving you all the pieces you need to achieve that dream, so ,weight control programmes don’t bother. They happily take your money knowing that what they expect of you and, what you are asking of yourself is virtually impossible.
Loss: Your mind hates the word Loss! and yet everyone talks about weight loss! Yours minds main job is to keep you alive! It runs on old DNA and is programmed for survival. It loves to store and preserve to avoid scarcity and shortage. The second you alert it to loss, it starts to accumulate. A better word is reduction or control. Your mind likes the concept of control. I bet no one ever told you this before! and how many diets have you done?
My top tip: Stop talking to yourself about weight loss and focus on control. This sets your mind up for success in a different way
Addiction: You have an addiction! To a certain food group, it might be carbs, fats, sugar, or a smaller food group but you have an addiction so, why would anyone expect that: on any particular day, whilst feeling terrible about your body and your weight you will simply be able to be given a food plan and totally ignore your addiction. It makes no sense at all but, no one on any weight control programme that you have ever done has attempted to help you understand and overcome your addiction. Then, when you cant do it, your feel even worse, consider yourself a failure and are worse off than before you started.
Associations: You have Food Associations! Quite simply certain foods are related to: comfort, nostalgia, safety, love, all manner of connections to people, places, events and again, until you understand what drivers and triggers those food associations are, you will not be able to resist them. They are imprinted in you, part of your learned behaviours. They can be unlearned but, not ignored.
Food stories! No doubt you have heard of money stories, what you think and feel about money due to how you grew up and what you were told about money. Well, in the same way, you have a food story! Yes, there are subconscious belief you have around food that will make it virtually impossible for you to change your habits around food in a sustainable and long term way. You need to uncover your food story, understand it and change it. Understanding is power! Power will lead to the control that you need.
Mindset: Your mind is not in the right place. To succeed at anything your need the right mindset, especially to achieve something challenging and outside of your comfort zone. You need to dig deep to understand your why, the benefits of success, the result of giving up. All of these and so much more need to be a part of your process. How many times has anyone ever suggested that before attempting to lose weight you should cultivate the right mindset?
Self-confidence, self-belief, self-worth, call it what you will, you are highly unlikely to focus on any “Diet” for more than a few days if you do not believe in yourself, value yourself and think that you are worth it! Worth investing in, worth the time and money to properly educate yourself about food, weight control and health and wellness. When you truly believe that you are worth it, your journey can begin. You will not treat either your mind or your body as they deserve until you are ready to love yourself and start feeding and nourishing both to become the best version of you, both physically and mentally.